It's been a while! I was so excited to share my blog link with Facebook friends...and then I apparently fell off the face of the Earth. But really I just got sick. I'm finally feeling better and feeling way behind on many of my regular habits, including blogging. I've also gotten behind on: running, my rec soccer team, work at school, my baking challenges, socializing with people, pretty much everything. So I'll probably have several posts in the next few weeks as I try to get caught up.
Since I've been sick at the exact same time that the world is freaking out over how it feels like fall (y'all), I've been making a lot of soup. My husband is not entirely a "soup person," and he also hasn't been sick, so I'm sure he is tired of it by now. But if I'm cooking and I'm in the mood for soup, well then by golly that's what I'm making. He'll make a bagel if he doesn't want to eat it, which just means more soup for me, so I won't complain. Here are some of the soups I've seen on Pinterest and made in the last month, with a little review of each.
Red Thai Curry Soup (from Amuse Your Bouche)
Rating: Make again with revisions
Review: Everything I wanted in a curry soup, and the red curry paste added a nice change in flavor from the traditional curry flavor. I wanted it to be spicier (thanks, sinuses) but didn't add anything to spice it up aside from the ingredients listed. Next time maybe I'll add some red pepper flakes.
Sausage, Spinach, and White Bean soup (from Damn Delicious)
Rating: Make again with revisions
Review: I like soups with beans and a little kick, and this fit both of those categories because I used hot sausage. My husband and I both agreed we didn't care for the celery in this soup. It just didn't really fit in. I also did not make this in the slow cooker, and instead made it on the stovetop and let it simmer for about an hour. I really like the idea of this soup, but would definitely leave out the celery next time
Cheddar Ale and Bratwurst Soup (from Baked by Rachel)
Rating: Make again
Review: This was SO delicious. Probably because I put extra cheddar in it. Or maybe because it was the beginning of October and the world was all "Oooh Fall! Ooooh Oktoberfest! Oooh pretzels!" I had made some pretzels for my baking challenge that week and with Bratwursts in the freezer, I just had to make this soup. We ate it with the pretzels instead of out of bread bowls. Hubs said this was definitely a winner, and I agree- the flavors were strong and combined well to make a hearty soup.
Sweet Potato and Coconut Milk Soup (from Katie at the Kitchen Door)
Rating: Make again for me, not for Hubs
Review: I loved everything about this, but the texture of it was not something my husband enjoyed. He said it seemed like it should be a bisque instead of a "hearty" soup, and I agree. I might use a canned coconut milk next time, to thicken it a bit more, but having grown up on my mother's potato soup, the texture of this soup felt familiar and comfortable to me. The recipe suggested serving the soup with brown rice and lentils. I went with plain rice and lentils; didn't bother me one bit! Adding the orange juice is an interesting idea for this soup, and it gives it a surprising citrus after taste. This was excellent sick day soup.
Soups up next on my list:
- Chili, still deciding my favorite recipe
- Ribollita (from Erren's Kitchen)
- Spicy Shrimp and Bok Choy noodle bowl, one of my all time favorites from Rachel Ray that I haven't made recently and I'm craving it again. My dad's wife made it at a family gathering several years ago and I've bookmarked that recipe and made it several times since then.
The "make again" rating system is something my husband and I use to avoid the debacle of having to say food we make is either not good or lying and saying that it is good even when we don't like it. He told me he was afraid he'd have to say everything I make is delicious, and then risk me continuing to make things that he hates. I felt the same way about when he is cooking, since he cooks less often (and I don't want to discourage it!). So if we don't like something the other one makes, we'll say "It's good, but not really a 'make again' good." No hurt feelings, all honest, and keeps us both looking for new things to make instead of eating the same things all the time.
